A stopgap spending bill that would fund the government for the first six months of the new fiscal year starting on October 1 narrowly cleared a key procedural hurdle Tuesday, with the rule for the bill passing the House in a 209-to-206 vote. The fate of the legislation is uncertain, however, amid stiff opposition from lawmakers on both sides of the aisle.
Johnson could still be headed for an embarrassing defeat, even as former President Donald Trump on Tuesday urged Republicans to allow the government to shut down if they can’t pass a controversial measure promoted by GOP hardliners that would require proof of citizenship for people registering to vote.
Congressional Democrats and the White House have vowed to oppose the House bill, noting that it is already illegal for noncitizens to vote in federal races, and some Republicans have expressed concerns about the CR, as well.
Two Republicans — Reps. Andy Biggs of Arizona and Matt Rosendale of Montana — joined all Democrats in voting against the rule for the bill, and more members of the House GOP have said they will join the opposition when the bill comes up for final passage.
Still, most House Republicans say the voting amendment is essential. “This is a fight worth having,” Johnson told reporters at a press conference ahead of the procedural vote. “I believe we can fund the government responsibly and I believe that we can do right by the American people and ensure the security of our elections.”
Defending the amendment, Johnson said that “thousands” of illegal voters are currently registered in states including Pennsylvania, Ohio and Georgia, though he did not provide any evidence to back up the claim. (In May, after making a similar claim, Johnson said the numbers are a matter of gut feelings rather than hard data. “We all know, intuitively, that a lot of illegals are voting in federal elections,” he said. “But it’s not been something that is easily provable. We don’t have that number.”)
Trump expressed support for the Johnson-led effort on Tuesday, posting on his social media platform that Republicans should block government funding if they can’t pass the voting measure. “If Republicans in the House, and Senate, don’t get absolute assurances on Election Security, THEY SHOULD, IN NO WAY, SHAPE, OR FORM, GO FORWARD WITH A CONTINUING RESOLUTION ON THE BUDGET,” Trump wrote. The former president falsely charged that Democrats “’STUFF’ VOTER REGISTRATIONS WITH ILLEGAL ALIENS,” and called on the House GOP to “CLOSE IT DOWN!!!”
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said Tuesday that Republicans appear to be flirting once again with a government shutdown. “Instead of pursuing bipartisanship, Speaker Johnson is yet again — yet again — wasting time caving to the hard right, despite his razor-thin majority,” Schumer said on the Senate floor. “Hasn’t he learned?”
What happens next: Johnson plans to hold a floor vote on the bill on Wednesday. At least six House Republicans have said they would vote against it, which should be enough to defeat the bill, and even if it passes the House, it has no chance in the Democratic-controlled Senate. Johnson has not discussed how he plans to proceed if the bill fails, though an eventual vote on a “clean” funding bill without amendments seems likely. That could upset Johnson’s supporters on the right, however, raising the risk of a confrontation over the issue that could result in a government shutdown.
